The sharp rise in energy prices also has consequences for pet cremations. Crematoria have already raised the price or are going to do so. Linda Stekkinger of animal crematorium Cinta in Nieuwendijk: “I also have to come along and that is a difficult decision, because I really don’t want this. I am thinking of a temporary energy surcharge of 30 to 35 euros for a dog between 22 and 34 kilos.”
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“I have also become more expensive,” says Theo Biemans of animal crematorium and cemetery Lieshout. “I started three years ago and then the price of an average cremation with us was around 100 euros. Now it is around 125 euros. We fire the oven on propane gas, which has become considerably more expensive, but also collecting the animals from people’s homes is financially very difficult. I fill up twice a week for 150 euros each time, just do the math.”
At NOVIO in Nieuwkuijk, a deceased dog or cat can be ‘cremated’ in water, which is called resomation. “In 20 hours, your pet will be dissolved in warm water,” says Jan cellars. Remarkably enough, this has also become considerably more expensive and that is not due to the price of water.
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“Believe it or not, the special salt comes from Ukraine.”
“The salt we use to speed up the decomposition process has become three times more expensive,” Kelders explains. “Believe it or not, the special salt comes from Ukraine. A year ago we paid about 1400 euros for a pallet, now it is 4200 euros. It’s really bizarre.”
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The animal crematoria are terribly disappointed with the current situation. “A cubic meter of gas has gone from 1.11 to 1.55 euros for me,” says Linda Stekkinger. “Even the urns have become much more expensive,” Linda continues. “I am told that the raw materials for a good urn are scarcer and the transport is, of course, more expensive.”
Maarten Maton of the animal crematorium Boxtel: “Firing a stone urn in an oven is probably also more expensive due to the higher gas price. In January, a cremation has already become 10 to 15 euros more expensive and there will probably be another price increase of 10 to 25 euros. It’s very unfortunate, but I can’t help it.”
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Animal crematorium Memoria in Tilburg already charges an energy surcharge of 50 euros in certain cases. This concerns cremations for which the customer has determined the day and time and for which the oven has to be switched on especially.
Walda Zwart of Maashorst Uden crematorium did not escape a price increase either. “We raised the prices a bit in January, I don’t know how it will go on yet.”
The entrepreneurs do not know whether owners offer their deceased pets less often at a crematorium due to the increased prices. “Of course we only see those people who come to register their pet”, Maarten Maton responds. According to Linda Stekkinger, owners who have opted for cremation ‘will do anything for it’.
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